Events

Summer Collegiate Team Rankings

Allan Simpson8/5/2013

Cape
Teams Bumped From No. 1As
Hot Waterloo Continues Surge
For
the first time this summer, a team other than a club from the
prestigious Cape Cod League occupies the No. 1 spot in Perfect Game’s
weekly ranking of the nation’s summer-college league teams.
The
Northwoods League’s Waterloo Bucks, ranked No. 2 for the last four
weeks, finally took over the top spot with their continued hot play.
The Iowa-based Bucks (46-16) posted the best record in the 16-team
Northwoods League in the first half at 24-10 and have been even more
dominant in the second half at 22-6 with a week remaining in the
regular season.
Waterloo
not only leads the Northwoods League in hitting, but has received
dominant performances from several key pitchers, including Florida
righthander Aaron Rhodes (5-2, 3.03) and Arkansas righthander Landon
Simpson (6-1, 3.42), both freshmen, and ace closer Adam Dian, a
sophomore righthander from Temple, who is 2-0, 0.42 with six saves,
along with 40 strikeouts in 21 innings.
Meanwhile,
the Chatham Anglers, who had held the No. 1 spot this summer for all
but two weeks, stumbled down the stretch of the Cape Cod League
season, losing their last five games. But the Anglers had already
built up a substantial lead in the Cape’s Eastern Division and
still managed to post the league’s best overall record. The
eight-team Cape Cod League playoffs open Tuesday.
The
Cape League’s Falmouth Commodores, meanwhile, won a three-team
fight for top spot in the Western Division, and actually surpassed
Chatham in the latest PG team rankings, moving to No. 2. The dominant
offensive team on the Cape, Falmouth produced the league’s top two
hitters, leading home run hitter and the top three RBI producers.
Several
summer leagues around the country wrapped up play and crowned
champions on Sunday or over the past week, but most of the nation’s
strongest, most-established leagues are either involved in playoffs
or still have regular-season games remaining.
PG’s
national ranking of summer clubs are determined on the following
criteria: won-loss record, league dominance, depth and quality of
professional-level talent and the overall strength of the league.
Teams must have at least a .500 record to earn consideration.
EDITOR’S
NOTE: Perfect Game’s final ranking of the nation’s top 50 clubs
will be released Monday, Aug. 18, once all summer leagues have
completed play.